Parent Shopping Hack

I'm assuming that if you are reading this blog, you likely have children or may be heading that direction. Something that I never considered before having baby #2 is how you are supposed to go grocery shopping  with a baby and toddler. Unless you wear your baby in a carrier, the cart is full of kids!

I'm all for wearing baby, but many times they are asleep when I get that the store and I don't want to wake them by taking them out of the seat. Or its super hot out and I sweat 90% of the day in the dead of winter. Or ( and this is the biggest reason) I'm not comfortable with being put in a situation where baby is on me and I have to wrangle a toddler. Bending over and sometimes having to move very quickly leaves the baby too vulnerable for my liking.

Enter my cart/basket combo.

One day at the store I walked by the stack of baskets and thought that if I could fit that underneath the cart, it would add some needed storage.  As luck would have it, it works at some stores. I feel like it's even been a consideration at our local wegmans.

Now, some stores are not as easy (looking at you Target) so I came up with another idea.

Those little hooks that you can buy to hang things from your stroller can be hung from the handle of the cart to support the handle of the basket (Munchkin Stroller Hook).

This is a bit more combersom, but it is way better than the alternarives.

I'm sure you are familiar with the carts with benches, buggies and also, the dreaded "customer in training" carts? Nope, nope and nope.

The big carts with benches and cars on the front are like 18 wheelers and I get dirty looks and comments from people with my regular cart plus kids taking too long or taking up too much space. 

Also, the cars are germ factories. My kids were never sick until just after I let my oldest ride in one for the first time...after sanitizing. Guess what? Strep.

Side rant: 

Where else besides home and work are you going to find people with families? The grocery store, buying food for said families. Doesn't it stand to reason that you are going to encounter parents and children in the store? People need to stop acting like we don't belong there. Again, dirty looks and comments. And my kids are pretty well behaved. End side rant...

So, if you are tired of trying to fit your stuff in around children and carseats, this may be helpful to you. 

If I'm way behind on this, I apologize. Please don't burst my bubble. I feel like a genius everytime I do it ;)